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Uber, Lyft drivers use Teslas as makeshift robotaxis, raising safety concerns

Economic Times · 2m

- A self-driving Tesla car collided with an SUV in Las Vegas, raising concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles used for ride-hailing services. - Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to showcase a robotaxi, a self-driving car for ride-hailing services, and already Tesla owners are using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software for their own versions of robotaxis. - Tesla owners use FSD to reduce stress and extend their working hours by relying on the software, which costs $99 per month. - While companies like Waymo and Cruise operate heavily regulated test versions of self-driving cabs, Tesla drivers are solely responsible for their vehicles, regardless of whether they use driver-assist software. - Some Tesla ride-hail drivers have reported limitations and shortcomings with FSD software, such as sudden unexplained acceleration and braking, leading them to avoid using it with passengers. - There is a need for better regulations and guidelines to prevent misuse of autonomous driving technology in ride-hail services, as current oversight is limited and leaves room for potential safety risks.